


Family

by F2of95line



Category: K-pop, NCT (Band)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Baby!Jaemin, Boyfriends, Family, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-18 01:09:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14842703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F2of95line/pseuds/F2of95line
Summary: Nakamoto Yuta thinks he's finally found his family... until his boyfriend's ex shows up and he wonders if he's never belonged after all.





	1. The Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Angst. Because I'm an emotional masochist like that.

Yuta yawns as he stretches and wakes up, before smiling and leaning down to kiss his lover good morning as he usually does. He gently brushes his lips against Taeyong’s cheek, and can’t help a smile as he watches the usually stern-faced man smile cutely in his sleep and snuggle into his pillow deeper.

Yuta bites back a laugh and swings his legs over the edge of the bed, shivering slightly as his feet come into contact with the cold wooden floor.

He wanders into the kitchen where he sees his boyfriend’s tiny son Lee Jaemin, dutifully scooping rice out of the rice cooker, forming it into a pretty shape for their rice bowls. He’s standing on top of a sturdy little stool as he digs into the deep cooker, and Yuta can only watch and admire as the boy neatly organizes their breakfast trays with steaming bowls of rice. Yuta smiles, before leaning down and pecking the surprised boy’s head.

“Morning, Nana,” he greets and the small boy looks up, smiling toothily at him.

“Good morning, Yuyu!” he cheers, clambering off the high stool and hugging Yuta’s knees. “Yuyu, guess what, I had a dream about you last night.”

“Oh?” Yuta smiles as he closes the rice cooker and walks over to the refrigerator to pull out kimchi and eggs. “What happened in your dream, Nana?”

“I dreamt that you and me and Appa were flying in the sky, and then a thunderstorm happened, and then I saved you and Appa!” Jaemin chatters excitedly as he trails after Yuta, who lays out their breakfasts on shared plates. Yuta smiles, pinching the tiny boy’s cheek.

“You saved us? I guess that makes sense, you know how your Appa and I aren’t as strong as you,” Yuta pretends to feels Jaemin’s tiny upper arm and the small Korean boy giggles.

“Yuyu, is Appa getting up soon?”

“Yes, Nana,” Yuta says absentmindedly as he checks the expiration date on the eggs. “He came in late from work last night, so he’s sleeping in a little today.”

“Yay, I’m going to school with you today, Yuyu?”

“You sure are, Nana. Let’s make you some eggs.”

Yuta cracks the eggs in the pan, expertly frying it the way Jaemin likes, and finishing with a flourish, by putting ketchup lines around it so it looks like a sun.

“Good morning, Mr. Egg!” Jaemin cheers as usual as he pokes the yolk and Yuta can only laugh. It’s going to be a good day.

* * *

Yuta makes sure Jaemin is bundled snugly as they head to Jaemin’s school, the tiny boy’s mittened hand clasped in Yuta’s. The two of them play their favorite word game on the way to improve both of their Korean skills, the autumn breeze happily pushing them along the way.

“Let’s start with Appa’s name,” Yuta suggests and Jaemin agrees.

“Tae-yong.”

“ _Yong-sa_ (Soldier).”

“ _Sa-dang_ (Shrine).”

“ _Dang-hwang_ (Surprise).”

“ _Hwang-jae_ (Emperor).”

“…Jaemin,” Yuta lightly tickles the tiny kid, who giggles and clutches his Yuyu’s hand, nuzzling against the back of Yuta’s hand.

“Yuyu, can we have tonkatsu for dinner tonight?”

“You just had breakfast and you’re already thinking of dinner?!” Yuta hoists Jaemin up, and the boy laughs excitedly at seeing the world from higher up. Jaemin beams at him.

“Yeah! Yuyu’s tonkatsu is the best!”

Yuta inwardly winces. Even though he’s touched by Jaemin’s praises, there isn’t a lot he actually knows how to cook. Taeyong is the better chef between the two of them; to be fair, the Korean man is an actual chef.

-

_The two of them met when Yuta started as a server at the Michelin-starred restaurant where Taeyong was the executive chef._

_After just one week, Taeyong was ready to get Yuta fired, unused to being sassed and challenged, and especially by a foreigner. Typically the foreign part-timers were meek and obeyed without question, out of fear of being sent back to their home country, but Yuta had looked Taeyong in the eye and spat, in his broken Korean at the time,_

**_“I’m not afraid of you.”_ **

_Taeyong from then kept the Japanese part-timer around mostly out of curiosity; he already knew that everyone looked at him with fear (what could he say, he looked angry a lot of the time) but the Japanese man had scoffed and said, loudly enough for Taeyong to hear, **“I’ll respect him when he respects me.”**_

_By chance, about a month later, Taeyong’s son came to his restaurant while he was working. Unaware Jaemin was in the front, Taeyong kept working in the kitchens as Yuta approached the small boy who looked lost among the bustle of finely clad women and expensively-dressed men._

_His shift was over, but the child looked too lost and alone to be ignored._

_“Hello there. Table for one?”_

_The child looked up at the kind waiter and just stuck his tiny fist in his mouth, sucking rapidly. Yuta blinked right back before tilting his head… and shrugging. He took his coat back off; he had been looking forward to going home and snacking on honey butter chips while watching anime, but that could wait._

_“Customer’s a customer. You look like you could use a little fattening up.”_

_He held out his hand and the small boy hesitated before accepting it._

_“There you go… I’m Yuta. What’s your name?”_

_The boy just smiled and tilted his head and Yuta frowned, but quickly smiled back and guided the child to a table. Yuta giggled at the boy, who was almost swallowed up in the booth and the boy toothily grinned back looking much more open._

_“I’ll go get you a water to start,” Yuta suggested and the boy clapped his hands eagerly, swinging his legs under the table. Yuta headed over to Taeil, the maître d who had just returned to the host stand, eyes down._

_“Is my Korean that hard to understand?”_

_“Hm? Of course not! Why would you think that?”_

_“I was talking to that kid, and he didn’t understand me at all,” Yuta frowned, pointing to the boy who was gazing around curiously. Taeil’s eyes grew round._

_“Yuta!” he hissed. “Don’t you know who that is?”_

_“…oh god it’s one of those baby celebrities, isn’t it?” Yuta peered at the small child who looked right back at him, still sucking on his fist. Taeil shook his head._

_“That’s Chef Lee’s son, Jaemin!”_

_“…is that why he doesn’t want to talk to me?” Yuta gaped. “Geez, who would’ve thought ol’ Chef Lee could help create someone so cute?”_

_“Don’t feel bad, Yuta,” Taeil reassured him. “Chef Lee’s son apparently can’t speak.”_

_“Can’t speak?” Yuta repeated. “But he looks like, three or something. Shouldn’t he able to speak at this point?!”_

_“Nobody knows why,” Taeil shrugged uncomfortably. “Apparently he’s never talked… they think it might be because Chef Lee’s partner left after Jaemin was born. The doctors said there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s just choosing not to speak.”_

_“That poor kid,” Yuta said sympathetically. “He probably just wants some love.”_

_And with that, he headed over to the table and gave Jaemin a glass of water. Jaemin struggled to pick up the heavy glass with his small hands and Yuta had to hide a smile._

_“It’s okay, Jaemin-ah, here…”_

_He picked up the glass and gently fed it to the small boy’s lips, smiling at the cute way the boy drank, lips pursed._

_“Awww, you were thirsty, huh?” Yuta cooed. “Come on, let’s get some food in you. I’ll be right back.”_

_He ambled over to the kitchen and peered around. When he was sure nobody was looking, he scooped some soup into a clean bowl, with a side of bread and some cheese._

_He dashed out of the kitchen, unaware that he was being watched by a pair of narrowed eyes._

_Yuta smiled to himself gleefully. “Look what I got, Jaemin-ah!”_

_The small boy looked curiously at the bowl Yuta held out as the Japanese man smiled proudly._

_“I full on ninja-d my way out of there! They didn’t see a thing!”_

_“Ahem.”_

_Yuta froze as behind him, he could hear Chef Lee Taeyong’s voice, hard as ice. He gulped as Jaemin happily began to indulge in his dinner. Yuta managed to paste a sheepish grin to his lips as he turned to face Chef Lee, the Korean chef’s arms crossed._

_“Ehehehe… Chef Lee!” Yuta scratched the back of his head. “D- Didn’t see you there!”_

_“Nakamoto, what are you-?” Taeyong growled, but he immediately stopped when he heard the soft but unmistakable voice pipe up._

_“Yuyu.”_

_Yuta and Taeyong both froze, and Yuta slowly turned to see Jaemin who was gazing at him curiously, large round eyes strangely wise._

_“His name is Yuyu.”_

_And that was all he said before he began to munch on the bread._

_-_

_Not long after that, Taeyong offered Yuta less hours at the restaurant and in exchange, hours at his home to help Jaemin. It seemed that Yuta had been the only one who could convince Jaemin to talk._

_After just a few months, Jaemin was chattering as if he had been doing it all along. Taeyong, little by little, found himself unable to stop thinking of the feisty, beautiful Japanese man, and when he one day finally asked Yuta to be his boyfriend (hotly blushing and stammering), Yuta could only grin at him, that beautiful blinding smile._

_“It’s about time, Lee Taeyong.”_

-

“Yuyu?”

“Huh?” Yuta snaps out of his nostalgic memories. He can’t believe it’s been three years since he and Taeyong first started dating, and before long, he had already moved in.

“It’s time for me to go,” Jaemin points to his school’s front gate and Yuta shakes his head.

“Okay… sorry, Nana, I just got lost in thought. We’ll have tonkatsu after school today, okay?”

“’kay, Yuyu!” Jaemin cheers. “Bye bye!”

Yuta squishes Jaemin to himself before releasing him and letting the six-year-old toddle into his school, where a group of small boys call his name and wave at him.

Yuta just smiles. Several years ago, Jaemin had been a shy, lonely boy but ever since he started talking, he soon grew popular and loved and Yuta can only feel proud of him.

He waves again before heading back home, relishing the crisp autumn air. Things are wonderful.

* * *

Taeyong is drinking coffee and reading the paper when Yuta returns home. The Korean chef looks up, smiling as he folds up his paper.

“Did you walk Jaemin to school today?”

“Yep. He wants tonkatsu for dinner tonight,” Yuta states as he takes his jacket off. “I swear he gets his taste buds from you. All you two ever want to eat is tonkatsu, eggs and takoyaki.”

“To be fair,” Taeyong says dryly. “That’s all you can really make well. Your other dishes are…”

Yuta scowls. “We’re not all Michelin-starred chefs.”

“Well trust me, I didn’t fall in love with you for your cooking,” Taeyong snickers and puts his paper up. For a second he doesn’t hear anything and he wonders if he’s actually offended Yuta, when his newspaper is slowly lowered by a finger.

“And what, pray tell, did you fall in love with?” Yuta purrs, eyes peeking over the paper, glowing with a come-hither look that makes Taeyong’s breath hitch, but he soon grins back.

“Hmm… maybe I should show you.”

And with that, he scoops up the giggling man, practically running back into their bedroom.

* * *

After they’re finished (and fully satisfied), Yuta then brings up a subject he’s been hesitant to bring up recently.

“Hey, Tae-chan?”

“Hm?”

Yuta fiddles with their blanket threads before gazing up into his boyfriend’s eyes. “…have you ever considered having more children?”

Taeyong frowns in shock. “You want to try for a baby?”

“Well, why not?” Yuta asks timidly. “I think we’re ready to be parents. I mean, I love you.”

“You know I love you too, Yuta, but… I don’t know if I want to stress Jaemin out.”

“I think he’d love having a younger sibling,” Yuta argues. “You and I both know that Nana would be a great older brother.”

“How are we supposed to have a child together if I’ve never even met your parents?” Taeyong nuzzles the top of his boyfriend’s head and Yuta sighs.

“I… I don’t keep in contact with them anymore. Do we really have to-?”

“I want to know what they’re like,” Taeyong’s voice borders on whining. “Are they really that horrible?”

“Yes,” Yuta says clearly. “That’s why I don’t want you and Jaemin to meet them.”

“But they gave birth to someone like you,” Taeyong points out. “How bad can they be?”

“Don’t change the subject,” Yuta scolds. “What do you think about another baby?”

“Let’s… Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Taeyong buries his face into Yuta’s hair and nuzzles the top of his head. “I just… I don’t know if I’m ready for another child.”

 _I’m not your ex. I wouldn’t leave you_ , Yuta wants to say, but he knows better, so he decides instead to bring up another topic.

“What do you want to do for our anniversary?”

Taeyong grins. “Thought I forgot, huh?”

“Did not,” Yuta pouts. “You remembered my birthday last year even though I forgot.”

 “Hmm… well is there anything in particular you wanted to do?” Taeyong stretches. “Maybe we can go on a trip, you, me and Jaemin. How about Singapore?”

Yuta’s eyes light up. “That sounds nice!”

“I saw a recipe for chili crab online and apparently it’s famous in Singapore. It’d be great to try it in the actual country.”

“Figures it’s our anniversary and you want to talk about work,” Yuta rolls his eyes, tracing a finger over his lover’s skin. “You’re such a workaholic.”

“I’m a you-aholic,” Taeyong says sneakily and Yuta groans.

“I know you’re a dad but your jokes are just plain weird.”

* * *

Later that day when Jaemin comes home, his eyes light up.

“It smells like tonkatsu!” he cheers and Yuta pops his head out of the kitchen.

“Well, I definitely failed then. I just made eggs.”

Jaemin giggles at his silly Yuyu and Yuta smiles, ruffling his hair.

“Go wash up, Nana, and we’ll have dinner.”

Yuta takes a deep breath as he lightly runs his fingers over his still flat stomach. Taeyong might have been hesitant, but Yuta knows they’re ready. Taeyong would be a great father; after all, he already shows so much love to Jaemin, Yuta knows he can share some love with their child as well.

 _Their child_.

Yuta can’t help a smile at that. It’s undoubtable he loves Jaemin from the very bottom of his heart, but the idea of having a child with Taeyong too… it makes his stomach flutter.

He’s snapped out of his reverie when the doorbell rings and he frowns. Taeyong calls from the bedroom.

“Yuta, did you invite somebody?”

“No!” he shouts back. “Maybe it’s the neighbors!”

He heads over to the door and peers through the peephole, unaware who the person on the other side is. He opens the door and tilts his head.

“…can I help you?”

The pretty man blinks in surprise. “Um… I was looking for Lee Taeyong, but I must’ve gotten the wrong apartment.”

Yuta’s brow furrows. “N- No, this is the correct apartment. Um… can I ask who you are?”

The pretty man hesitates, and it’s at this time that Taeyong approaches the door.

“Yuta, who’s at the-?” he promptly freezes, eyes wide and filled with conflicting emotions.

“…hi, Taeyong. It’s been a long time,” the beautiful man says quietly and Taeyong swallows, unblinking.

“…Minki?”

And Yuta suddenly realizes that today is not going to be a normal day after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very bad at choosing side characters. For example, I only chose Ren from Nu'est in this fic because he's the only idol I know that's in Taeyong's age range and looks pretty rather than manly (I don't know a lot of individual idols as you can tell. I know him because of Produce 101).


	2. The Appointment

After Minki had shown up at their doorstep yesterday, Taeyong had asked him to leave, and come back the next day to talk; he wasn’t ready then.

And now…

Yuta takes a deep breath as he waits in the kitchen. He can hear his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s ex in the living room, quietly talking.

Even though he desperately wants to be present, he can tell this is a conversation Taeyong would rather have alone. Still…

Yuta isn’t exactly famous for being indifferent to affairs related to himself. He stealthily tiptoes to the door and listens in. Even though it’s muffled, he can soon hear the quiet murmuring become clearer.

_“…left us, right when we needed you.”_

_“This was hard for me too, Taeyong-ah. I need you to understand, I… I wasn’t ready to be a parent.”_

_“And do you think I was? How could you be so selfish?”_

_“You’re one to talk! You’re not the one who had to have your body stretched out and cut up to deliver a kid!”_

_“Choi Minki, do you hear yourself?”_

_“Anyways, I’m back now, Taeyong. Isn’t that all that matters?”_

_“You **left** us, Minki. I don’t get how you can think we’ll just welcome you back with open arms.”_

_“…I want to see Jaemin. At the end of the day, he’s still my child and you’re still my legal husband.”_

Yuta’s eyes widen. What?!

_“Well-”_

“Appa, I’m home!”

Taeyong’s head snaps to the front door and he relaxes his posture, smiling gently. “Welcome home, Jaemin-ah. Are you hungry?”

“Mmm, yeah. I want toast!” Jaemin agrees, before tilting his head at the stranger in his living room and bowing. “Hello.”

“…Jaemin-ah,” Minki’s eyes are soft as he approaches his son. “Jaemin-ah, do you know who I am?”

“No, sorry,” Jaemin responds politely and Minki smiles.

“I’m your father, Jaemin. I-”

“ _He’s_ my father,” Jaemin points to Taeyong, who looks at a loss for words, and Minki struggles to keep his smile up.

“I’m… I’m your other father. You came out of my tummy,” Minki indicates to his stomach and Jaemin doesn’t say anything for a moment.

There’s silence as Yuta’s heart hurts; why do they have to put Jaemin through this? He doesn’t deserve-

“Oh,” Jaemin responds plainly. “Okay. Can I have toast now?”

And when Taeyong and Minki laugh, Yuta feels even more left out, the familiar feeling of rejection sinking back into his heart.

* * *

“So… I imagine this is quite strange for you.”

“It is,” Yuta agrees, refusing to back down. Taeyong nervously looks between the two men, who levelly match their gazes.

“Taeyong-ah…” Minki starts, and Yuta’s fist clenches at the familiar way he calls his lover’s name. “Could you leave us alone for a little bit?”

Taeyong hesitates and looks at Yuta, who feels his heart grow warm, knowing that his boyfriend is concerned about him. Yuta and Taeyong exchange glances and Yuta feels a deep satisfaction when Taeyong understands what he wants to say in just one look.

_It’s fine. Go._

Taeyong gives Yuta one last look ( _You sure?_ ) before leaving the two men alone. There’s an awkward silence, until finally Minki starts.

“I’m not sure how much Taeyong has told you,” Minki says abruptly. “But I’m sure you’re unaware of this. He and I are actually still legally married.”

“...I see. Well that’s easily fixable.”

“Well from what I see, he doesn’t have any intention of divorcing me.”

Yuta feels his rage flare, but he forces himself to remain calm.

“This is _my_ home. You can’t just-!”

“Is it, though?” Minki asks coolly and Yuta hates, hates, _hates_ to admit it, but right at that moment, Choi Minki is quite possibly the most beautiful man he’s ever laid eyes on. “When you think about it, I’m Taeyong’s legal husband. I’m the one who gave birth to Jaemin. You’re an outsider who’s living here. What do you even do for work?”

“I’m… I tend to the house,” Yuta mumbles, cheeks flushing. “I cook and clean and take care of Nana.”

“ _Nana_?!” Minki repeats. “What kind of… you tried to rename my son?!”

“It’s just a nickname!” Yuta scowls.

“From what?!”

“I… I used to say ‘Jaemin-ah, Jaemin-ah’ and I said it so much, I shortened it to ‘Min-ah, Min-ah’ and then eventually, I just started saying the last part, so it became ‘Na-na’.”

“…how ridiculous,” Minki scoffs and although Yuta certainly isn’t ashamed of his special nickname for Jaemin, it makes him feel small that the beautiful man is outright criticizing him for it. “So you don’t even work, you just create silly names for my child, and laze around the house while Taeyong works for you both.”

“…how dare you?” Yuta tries not to sound as angry as he feels. “You think I’m with Taeyong for _money_?!”

“I think you’re with Taeyong because your life is comfortable now.”

“My life is comfortable because I’m with people I love,” Yuta snaps, before mentally telling himself to calm down.

_Think of your baby. You need to stay calm for your baby._

“Well I appreciate your help with my husband and my child,” Minki responds. “But I’m here now and you can…”

“What? Leave?” Yuta spits. “I’m not like you. You _deserted_ them. You left Taeyong when he needed you, left him alone with a _child_.”

“You think I don’t know that?!” Minki retorts. “I’m here to fix my mistakes!”

And with that, the beautiful man lets out a huff before storming away and leaving Yuta asking himself the frightening question he’s thought of all night, ever since Choi Minki showed up.

_If you’re here now… am I the one who doesn’t belong…?_

* * *

Yuta’s fears slowly start coming true and he desperately tries grasping onto the strings of familiarity but they slip away, Choi Minki yanking and pulling them away from him.

Even though he wasn’t even living with them, Minki came over everyday to try and show he was really dedicated to Taeyong this time.

Minki insisted he would start taking Jaemin to school and to Yuta’s disapproval, Taeyong agreed, only because Minki had a car and Taeyong didn’t like the idea of Yuta walking Jaemin to school everyday.

Whenever Yuta woke up, he would wake up to an empty house, discovering that Minki had picked Jaemin up and Taeyong had already left for work.

Yuta misses his word games with Jaemin. Even though the small boy still loves his Yuyu, Yuta can see Jaemin slowly warming up to Minki, who coos over him and gives him things that Yuta can’t, like rides to school and help with Korean.

Yuta feels his stomach sink when he sees Minki helping Jaemin with his Korean homework; that was always the one subject Yuta couldn’t help with (his spelling in Korean has always been awful, even back when he was studying Korean in school). Yuta always felt guilty when Taeyong returned home, exhausted from work, and still had to help Jaemin with his Korean homework since Yuta couldn’t.

And now… Minki could help. Minki could do what Yuta failed at.

It didn’t stop there. Several times, Taeyong returned home to find dinner already made; Minki was apparently a much better cook than Yuta. He even grudgingly made enough portions for Yuta and when the Japanese man tasted it, he was forced to admit, Minki’s cooking was on par with Taeyong’s.

The thing that broke Yuta’s heart the most was how happy Taeyong and Jaemin looked as they ate it. He knew it was childish of him; he should have been happy Taeyong and Jaemin were finally able to get a delicious, edible meal, but it did admittedly hurt a little when Taeyong said “Wow, your cooking is still amazing! You must have worked hard on it!” as if Yuta hadn’t struggled and tried his best to cook when he first moved in as well.

Yuta silently sighs to himself; it’s been almost a month since Minki’s showed up and Yuta can feel himself growing stressed out. He desperately wants to bring up the baby to Taeyong, but whenever he gets a moment alone with Taeyong, Minki is right there to interrupt.

Even at night, Taeyong promptly passes out in bed, exhausted from the day, and Yuta just doesn’t have the heart to wake him to bother him with such news.

Yuta wonders if this is the second family he’ll have to leave.

* * *

It’s after two months of Minki in their lives that Yuta decides if he can’t tell Taeyong, he needs to go to the doctor on his own. He luckily hasn’t shown so much, but he does start wearing bulkier sweaters around the apartment, just in case.

He walks to the clinic and greets the receptionist, who kindly advises that he take a seat. He seats himself and looks around the waiting room, trying to smile.

Everyone… is there with a partner. While he’s alone. He can feel a few sympathetic gazes shot his way but he duly ignores them.

He doesn’t need pity; he just wants to take care of his baby.

When his name is finally called, he enters the doctor’s office and before long, his legs are up in stirrups and he can only stare at the small black-and-white screen, eyes watering.

“Mr. Nakamoto?” the doctor says gently and Yuta can’t take his eyes off, biting his lower lip.

“…he’s so _small_ ,” he whispers in a small voice, throat clogged with emotions. “God, I can’t believe…”

“Here he is, here,” the doctor indicates, smiling at him gently. “Would you like a picture for your records?”

“Yes,” Yuta whimpers. “Yes, please.”

The doctor nods. “And you’re welcome to decline to answer if you so choose, but… where’s the father of this baby?”

Yuta looks down. “Uh… he’s, uh… he couldn’t make it today.”

The doctor doesn’t say anything, but Yuta can once again see pity coming from the doctor’s eyes.

“…I see. Well, if you need anything or have any questions, feel free to come back. I just want you to have a healthy delivery.”

“Thank you, Doctor… um…”

“Seo,” the doctor introduces himself. “But you can just call me Youngho, Dr. Seo sounds so stuffy.”

Yuta smiles, his tears going away from receiving such friendly response. He schedules another appointment with the secretary before leaving the clinic.

* * *

“Taeeeeee-channnn,” Yuta whines one night when he feels needy, nuzzling his boyfriend’s neck. “Come on, let’s do it.”

“Tomorrow, Yuta, please,” Taeyong tiredly buries his face in his pillow. “Jaemin was so hyper at the zoo today.”

“Oh yeah, how… how was your outing today?” Yuta tries to ask happily. Jaemin had a good time and that’s all that matters.

“I’m actually really surprised,” Taeyong nods in contemplation as he gazes up at the ceiling. “Minki’s really gotten better. He used to lose his temper a lot with Jaemin when he was a baby, but today, he was really patient. He bought him treats and held his hand. I was really surprised.”

“Well that’s… that’s good,” Yuta acknowledges hesitantly. “I’m glad you had a good time. But…”

“…but?”

“I was lonely today,” Yuta tries to say teasingly, trailing a finger down Taeyong’s skin, and the Korean man huffs slightly.

“Yuta, please… I’m tired. I’m not in the mood.”

“You’re never in the mood!” Yuta snaps. He knows he’s just being overly sensitive from his mood swings, but it annoys him that Taeyong spent an entire day with his ex (well technically still legal) husband and was now refusing to dote on Yuta.

“Yuta, you’re being childish,” Taeyong says sternly and Yuta hates, hates, _hates_ that voice because he knows that tone. It’s the one Taeyong used to use on him back when Yuta was his employee, and it makes him feel small and unimportant.

Yuta finally just rolls off of Taeyong, trying to hide hurt tears.

“Fine,” he manages out. “I’m going to go shower.”

“Yuta-” Taeyong sighs, but Yuta just pretends to be angry, stomping into their bathroom. It’s only after the hot water is falling and Yuta’s hair grows wet as he sits in the tub, does he allow himself to cry, hand resting on his slightly swollen stomach. Taeyong doesn't come after him, and when Yuta returns to their bedroom, he sees the Korean man fast asleep.

* * *

Little by little, Yuta feels himself getting pushed out of this golden family, where normal is normal and they’re bonded by blood rather than fond relationships.

“Jaemin-ah, it’s time to do your math problems.”

“I don’t want to,” Jaemin whines and Yuta’s eyebrows furrow. Jaemin normally enjoys math homework, as far as he remembers. He doesn’t understand why Jaemin recently has been so childish.

“Minki-appa lets me have a snack first before homework!” Jaemin leans back lazily and Yuta frowns.

“Are you hungry, Jaemin?”

“Yes! I want honey butter chips!”

“Jaemin, those snacks are bad for you!” Yuta scolds. “You can eat them on the weekends. If you eat them now, you’ll spoil your appetite!”

“I want honey butter chips! Minki-appa lets me eat them whenever I want!”

“Well that’s not good for you!” Yuta retorts. “If you want a snack, I’ll make you one, but you can’t eat honey butter chips right now, Jaemin!”

“You’re the worst, Yuyu!” Jaemin screams, flopping on the ground and throwing a tantrum. “I want Minki-appa!”

The words pierce Yuta’s heart, but he will _not_ have his child screaming and throwing a fit just from not getting his way.

“That’s enough!” he says sharply, and swiftly picks up the child and spanks him once. Jaemin shrieks but Yuta firmly sets Jaemin on his feet and looks him straight in the eye.

“You are _not_ going to-”

“ _What’s going on_?!”

Yuta’s head snaps up to see Taeyong coming in through the front door, expression fierce, and Jaemin immediately runs to his father, wailing.

“Yuyu hit me!”

Yuta sighs in exasperation. “Jaemin’s throwing a-”

“Jaemin, go to your room,” Taeyong manages through clenched teeth and Jaemin sniffles before going to his room. Yuta shakes his head.

“We need to talk to Minki-shi about letting Jaemin eat snac-”

“ _Be quiet, Yuta,”_ Taeyong hisses and Yuta physically flinches at the furious tone in his lover’s voice.

“T- Taeyong, what are you-?”

“I don’t care how bad it got, you shouldn’t have hit him!” Taeyong snaps and Yuta can only gape.

“It was a spank, Taeyong! For crying out loud, he was literally on the floor and screaming for honey butter chips!”

“Then why’s he crying?!”

“Maybe because he’s become spoiled from Minki-”

“Why is it _always_ his fault?!” Taeyong retorts. “You always want to blame Minki for everything!”

“He _left_ you! I’m sorry if I’m not exactly welcoming him back with open arms!”

“Whether he left or not, he’s Jaemin’s real father!”

Yuta reels back as if struck, eyes wide and blown. His _real_ father. His… His _real_ father?

Then what is Yuta?

Taeyong’s words strike a chord more deeply in Yuta than just a lovers’ spat. It’s clear what Taeyong’s underlying message is.

_You don’t belong here._

The couple avoid gazes until finally Yuta looks away. “I… I think I’m going to sleep over at Doyoung’s today.”

“You don’t need to do that,” Taeyong says, already looking reluctant, but Yuta doesn’t want to do this anymore.

“I’ll… I’ll be back tomorrow,” he mumbles, swiping at his eyes. “I… I didn’t mean to make Jaemin cry, but… he deserved the spanking.”

And with that, he grabs his phone and wallet and gives Taeyong a final sad look before leaving.


	3. The Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, okay, sorry this one is a little short. I'm in a writing slump right now. I got nice and drunk and typed this out (before anyone asks, I'm legal age to drink. Stay in school, everyone).
> 
> Also, I'M GOING TO KCON NY!! I'M GOING TO SEE YUTA LIVEEEEEEE. I'm really excited. Back when I liked TVXQ and Super Junior, I saw them live (I lived in LA at the time), and when I liked EXO, I saw them live in New York and now I'm going to see NCT. Aughhhhh~
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

“Oh come on!” Doyoung scoffs. “Taeyong’s a stupid idiot! Kids throw tantrums! And what, he thought you would really hurt Jaemin? Just watch, ten years later when Jaemin still visits home and is holding doors open for people, Taeyong will thank you for making sure Jaemin stays on the straight and narrow.”

“Thanks, Doyoung,” Yuta manages, face buried in Doyoung’s guest room pillow. “Goddammit, I’m so _moody_ and upset all the time and it annoys the hell out of me.”

“Don’t think like that!” Doyoung pats his friend and Yuta groans.

“Seriously, it’s been so long since I’ve been laid, I actually felt something stirring when you just patted my shoulder.”

“Ew!” Doyoung shrieks, backing away and Yuta gives him a dry glance.

“Oh gee, thanks.”

“Sorry!” his friend relents. “Just… you know. Jaehyun’s only.”

“Ugh, you two lovebirds…” Yuta sighs. “I wish Taeyong and I were as lovey-dovey as you guys still. Our anniversary’s tomorrow and he mentioned traveling to Singapore, but I don’t think it’ll actually happen.”

“It’s your anniversary?!” Doyoung’s eyes light up. “Then that’s perfect! It’s the perfect time to tell him everything!”

“But that’s the thing,” Yuta sits up on the side of the bed and gazes down at his hands hesitantly. “I… I feel like we never have time to ourselves. Every time I want to tell him something, Minki-shi is there. And when we actually are alone, I… I don’t know, Taeyong just feels too irritated or too tired and I don’t want to tell him.”

“…Yuta,” Doyoung says gently. “Yuta, do you know how bad this sounds? You’re actually afraid of saying things to Taeyong? Didn’t he fall in love with you because you were unashamed of who you were?”

“Yes, but… that was before I realized… he was married to someone so beautiful and perfect and good at cooking and-”

“Okay, just shut up,” Doyoung rolls his eyes, but Yuta can see his friend’s concern. “Go to sleep. Tomorrow, we’re going to go out and get you dolled up for your anniversary. Then, you’re going to go home, seduce your boyfriend, make peace with your son and bitch slap Kinky or whatever his name is, out of your home!”

“…you’re right,” Yuta raises his head and smiles, heartened. “You’re right, Doyoung! I just need to remind Taeyong what he fell in love with! You’re a genius!”

“You’re welcome,” Doyoung says smugly. “In exchange, you can listen to the new chapter I came up with for my book!”

“Oh god,” Yuta buries his face in his pillow. “Doyoung, I love you, and I admire the fact you’ve grown successful from writing your erotica and nasty whatever, but seriously, I’m not a good candidate to hear that right now.”

* * *

The next day, Taeyong wakes alone and he sighs, rubbing his eyes. He couldn’t sleep well last night, most likely because he didn’t have a sweet-smelling Japanese man to cuddle with as usual.

He knows he was being irrational yesterday. He knows Yuta; no matter how cranky Yuta gets, he would _never_ lay a hand on Jaemin with vicious intent. He shakes his head and rubs his temples. He should’ve known better than to lose his temper with Yuta. He doesn’t know why, but his lover’s been so moody lately and it’s setting Taeyong off as well.

Well, today’s their anniversary! Taeyong has a surprise ready for him and knows Yuta would love it.

* * *

Jaemin’s eyes are swollen that morning, and Taeyong gazes at his son sympathetically.

“You okay, Jaemin-ah?”

“…is Yuyu still mad at me?” Jaemin sniffles, and it suddenly sinks in to Taeyong that Jaemin’s been acting strange for the past few months. When he thinks about it, his son is usually cheerful in the morning, waking up earlier than anybody else to help prepare breakfast and chatting about what he’ll do that day or funny dreams he had.

However, ever since Minki’s come, Jaemin’s started growing lazy and spoiled. Taeyong inwardly smacks his head.

He gently lays a hand on Jaemin’s head and the small boy looks up hopefully.

“He’s not mad, Jaemin-ah. He just needed a little time for himself today. How about you go get ready for school, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Minki-appa will drive you, okay?”

“But it’s raining,” Jaemin frowns and Taeyong blinks in confusion.

“Yes, that’s why that’s better. He has a car, Jaemin-ah.”

“But he always drops me off at the corner,” Jaemin pouts. “I don’t want to walk in the rain.”

“…Minki-appa drops you off at the corner?” Taeyong asks quietly. “Where? Outside the school?”

“No. At the end of the street,” Jaemin answers mindlessly, blinking at his stricken father. “Appa?”

“…get dressed, Jaemin-ah. I’m walking you to school today.”

* * *

Taeyong soon realizes that maybe he’s spent the last few months focused so much on his settlement with Minki, he wasn’t paying attention to his son.

“Jaemin!” he says, thunderstruck when his son comes out in his summer uniform, covered with a thin spring jacket. “It’s freezing today! You can’t go to school like that!”

“But I don’t know how to put on my scarf,” Jaemin trembles tearfully. “Don’t be mad, Appa.”

“How have you been…?” Taeyong’s voice trails off and he forces himself not to look angry. “I’m not mad, Jaemin-ah. But you need to be honest with me. Have you been wearing your summer uniform for the last few months?”

“Uh-huh,” Jaemin shrugs. “Minki-appa said I’d be fine.”

“You will _not_ be fine,” Taeyong says forcefully. “Listen to me, from now on, if the weather is this cold, you need to wear a scarf and a hat, okay, Jaemin? You can’t go outside if you’re not dressed in your hat and scarf.”

“…okay,” Jaemin says dully and Taeyong releases a breath before picking up an umbrella and walking his son to school.

* * *

Taeyong waits until Minki comes over and when the beautiful man shows up, he’s greeted by Taeyong’s stern expression.

“Where’s Jaemin?”

“I took him to school. And you know what?” Taeyong’s voice is icy. “He came out, trying to wear a _summer_ uniform. It’s almost 5 degrees outside, Minki! How could you be so irresponsible?!”

“He’s fine,” Minki scoffs. “He’s a tough kid.”

“Tough kid?!” Taeyong repeats in disbelief before shaking his head. “I thought you were getting better! You’ve just been spoiling and mistreating Jaemin for the last few months!”

“More like I’ve been making him happy all the time!”

“You can’t just give him everything he wants, Minki!” Taeyong struggles not to raise his voice. “He’s a _child_! He’ll accept anything! He’s smart, but he’s not an _adult_!”

“So he’ll get sick! It’s not like he’s going to die!” Minki says carelessly and Taeyong grits his teeth.

“This is _why_ I’m going through this settlement, Minki. All you care about is you, you, _you_! I let you into Jaemin’s life because of your request, but you can be honest, you just want child support, don’t you?!”

“Fine! Yeah, I do!” Minki crosses his arms. “Why should some boyfriend of yours get money and I don’t get anything?!”

Taeyong is ready to shout right back when Minki begins to stomp away.

“Hey, don’t just leave when I’m talking to you!”

Minki ignores him and storms outside where Taeyong follows him. Taeyong grabs Minki but the latter yanks his arm away.

The mud under them, slickened and slippery with rain, makes Taeyong slip and he lets out a loud yelp before finding himself drenched in dirt and water. He curses before managing to stand and glaring at Minki.

“Look what you did!”

“Oh yeah?! Well you-!”

He’s interrupted by the sound of Taeyong’s ringtone cheerfully jangling, and he curses again before answering the phone.

“Hello?”

“ _Good morning, Mr. Lee! This is Seoul Yokchon Elementary School. Your son apparently isn’t feeling well and we think it might be best if he goes home.”_

“Thank you. I’ll be right there to pick him up.”

Taeyong sighs before hanging up and looking down at himself in disgust. “Great. I have to go pick up Jaemin like this.”

“Go wash up,” Minki says, stopping him from leaving. “I’ll pick him up.”

“And what, drop him off at the corner?” Taeyong sneers. “No thanks.”

“Accept my generosity while it’s there,” Minki snaps. “You really think I’ll drop off a sick kid in the rain on a street corner?”

“Sick kid. That ‘sick kid’ is your son and you helped cause his sickness,” Taeyong lashes and Minki just shakes his head.

“Seriously, can you imagine showing up to Jaemin’s elementary school like that? Seriously, go shower.”

Taeyong sighs; he normally wouldn’t go for this, but he is _drenched_ in mud. Finally he nods, reluctantly.

“Fine. Just pick him up and drive him straight here. Don’t take him to your place today.”

“Fine, fine,” Minki waves a hand and when Taeyong turns around to get back to the apartment, he doesn’t see Minki’s crafty grin, a clever idea forming in his head.

* * *

Yuta takes a deep breath, gift bag clutched tightly in hand. He’s already seen Minki’s car in their apartment lot, but he’ll be firm today. Today is his and Taeyong’s anniversary, the least Minki can do is let them be. He nods to himself reassuringly before tentatively unlocking the front door. He knows Taeyong asked to be off today, so he plans on surprising him with his gift.

He takes his shoes off and opens the shoe cabinet to put them away… only to frown when he sees Minki’s and Jaemin’s as well. Why are they here?

Minki he’s not sure about, but Jaemin should be at school… Yuta shakes his head. He’ll figure it out later. For now…

He walks towards his bedroom and smiles, butterflies in his stomach. Taeyong isn’t anywhere else in the house which must mean he’s still sleeping. Yuta can’t stop a smile of excitement and opens the door.

He doesn’t find Taeyong sleeping.

The bag drops from Yuta’s hand as he just stares, paralyzed.

Minki is in _their_ bed, naked and swathed in blankets, while his, and what Yuta recognizes to be Taeyong’s, clothes are strewn all over the floor. He turns and gives Yuta a cool glance, and Yuta barely manages to swallow before feeling himself overcome with rage.

“What do you think you’re-?”

He’s interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening and Taeyong emerging, drying his hair with a cloth, equally naked except for the small towel around his waist. Yuta can’t stop a gasp.

And then it sinks in to Yuta when Taeyong freezes, looking just as shocked as he meets eyes with Yuta.

“…you’re already back?” Taeyong asks dumbly and Yuta doesn’t feel angry anymore.

He forces himself to swallow back his tears. “Why, because you didn’t want to be caught cheating on me?”

“ _Chea-?!”_

“Technically, aren’t _you_ the other person?” Minki snaps loudly. “You’re the one who’s been spreading your legs for a married man.”

Yuta feels his eyes well with heavy tears of shame as he struggles to keep breathing, anxiety and grief clutching his heart. What he hates isn’t even how plainly Choi Minki said it.

What he hates is that Choi Minki is right. He’s the outsider in this family.

He forces himself not to cry in front of them. He might be a slut but he has some semblance of dignity. Hee avoids looking at Taeyong as he tries to calm his breathing.

“Sorry,” he whispers, pretending his voice doesn't crack, to a still frozen Taeyong, eyes downcast. “I’m… sorry.”

And with that, Yuta runs. Runs away from Taeyong, who’s finally realized what’s happened, and is scrambling to put his clothes on as he shouts after Yuta, runs away from Minki, who’s smirking in victory, runs away from Jaemin, who’s just opened his door, runs away from the place he’s called home for the past three years.

He gets to the end of the street and from there, he uses an app to call a taxi for him. It’s only when he’s securely in the backseat does he bury his face in his hands and begins to cry.

Yuta doesn’t want to have a family anymore. Why do they hurt so much?

* * *

Jaemin slowly wakes up to the sound of his father’s frantic shouting and he rubs his eyes, wondering why everyone’s being so loud. Is his father angry?

He cracks open the door, just enough to see Yuta slipping his shoes on and running outside. Jaemin’s eyes grow wide.

Is… Is Yuyu leaving? Is he leaving because he was acting bad?

Jaemin scrambles after him, but hesitates. Technically, his Appa said he couldn’t go outside in this weather, but…

But what if Yuyu leaves because of him? And he doesn’t want Yuyu to think he really hates him.

“Y- Yuyu!” he cries, struggling as he opens the heavy door and running outside in his pajamas. “Yuyu, wait for me!”

Yuta doesn’t hear him and when he gets to the end of the street, Jaemin sees Yuta get into a car.

“Yuyu!” he screams. “Yuyu, wait!”

The car continues to go, ignoring the small boy who shivers from the cold but stubbornly keeps trying to chase the car.

“Yuyu!” he cries. “Yuyu, don’t go! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me, Yuyu! _Don’t leave me, Papa!”_

The car is too far away and Jaemin cries, tears of a frustrated child who wishes he could stop his parent from abandoning him.

“Papa!” Jaemin wails, falling on his hands and knees, tiny fists clenched in desperation. “Papa, come back!”

He suddenly feels warmth surrounding him, sinking right into his bones, as Taeyong holds his son, cocooning him from the onslaught of chilling rain as he weeps, two-thirds of a broken family clutching each other.


	4. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGGGGH I think I've gotten food poisoning or something. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Taeyong holds onto his child; Jaemin had sobbed and wailed all the way back home as Taeyong trudged home and had ended up exhausting himself out. He’s now currently clinging onto Taeyong’s shoulders, small arms still unable to fully wrap around his father’s broad shoulders, whimpering softly in his sleep. Taeyong gently lays him on his bed and gently strokes his delicate, soaked hair, before leaving his child’s bedroom swiftly and going back to his room.

Minki is lounging on the bed and Taeyong can barely resist from hitting the man.

“Get out,” he manages to say through gritted teeth and raw anger. “Get the _fuck_ out of my apartment, and if I ever see you again, you’d better pray we’re in public.”

“Come _on_ , Taeyong,” Minki shamelessly whines. “He’s finally gone. We can be how we used to be.”

“I’m serious,” Taeyong closes his eyes. “Put your fucking clothes on and go, or I’ll throw you out naked. I don’t care who sees you.”

Minki glares at him. “Stop exaggerating, you-”

Taeyong’s response is seize his arms and begin to physically drag the nude man out of the room. Minki shrieks loudly.

“Okay, okay, let me put my clothes on first! Geez!”

Taeyong grabs Minki’s clothes from the ground and throws them at him, gaining a small bubble of satisfaction from seeing the clothes hit Minki in the face while the beautiful man lets out a muffled ‘oof’.

“Get out. I’ll see you when we’re re-writing the divorce papers. After what happened today, you can bet you’re never coming near me or my family again.”

“Jaemin is my son!”

“You lost that privilege when you walked out on us,” Taeyong snarled. “I wanted to reconsider because I thought you actually cared about my son but I realize now I made a moronic decision. Now _get out_.”

Minki leaves angrily but Taeyong could hardly care less about him. His eyes have now caught sight of the expensive gift bag that Yuta had dropped earlier.

_Yuta…_

Taeyong’s heart hurts; how can Yuta think Taeyong would ever cheat on him?

_To be fair, the last time you two saw each other, you were defending your bitch of an ex and reminding Yuta he’s not Jaemin’s real father._

_…but he is. He’s always been. Even though he couldn’t cook, he always tried his best for Jaemin and he always made sure Jaemin was at least fed healthy things and he made him happy and he helped him as best as he could…_

_And me… he’s been my real husband all this time. He quit his job and playing around to devote all his time to Jaemin and me._

It sinks in to Taeyong just then that he might possibly lose that and he actually clutches the gift bag to himself, hands trembling. He can’t lose that.

He can’t lose Yuta.

He frantically tears open the gift bag in hopes it would have a clue to show him where Yuta might be going. He freezes when he sees a ring box.

A _ring box…_

He hesitantly opens it to see a shining band, and he sinks to his knees, gazing hopelessly at the gleaming silver proposal ring.

“…Yuta…” he breathes, heartbroken. He reaches in again to pull out… an x-ray?

No.

It’s not an x-ray.

Taeyong gazes in disbelief at the ultrasound in his hands. Yuta was going to tell him today that…

But no.

Taeyong’s mind rewinds to the past few months; he’s been so exhausted because he’s been in constant talks with his attorneys and still balancing work. Because of that, he’s been coming home, drained and spent, but now he realizes Yuta’s always been trying to tell him.

He covers his eyes with one hand, trying to hold back his tears.

_“…have you ever considered having more children?”_

**_If it’s with you, yes, let’s have all the children we can._ **

_“Come on, let’s do it. You’re never in the mood!”_

**_I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ll never take you for granted again, I’ll make love to you for as long as you want me to._ **

_“I didn’t mean to make Jaemin cry, but… he deserved the spanking.”_

**_You’re right, how are you such a good parent?_ **

Taeyong doesn’t deserve to mope; his lover is out there, thinking he was just Taeyong’s husband’s replacement when in reality, he’s been more than that. He’s the one who coaxed and calmed Taeyong down when he was crying from frustration when Jaemin refused to eat as a child. He’s the one who held Taeyong when he missed his parents, still back in the countryside. He’s the one who’s always been there for him, and when he needed him, Taeyong let him down.

Taeyong allows himself to cry just a little longer before finally standing up, wiping his tears.

He can’t waste any more time. He won’t let Nakamoto Yuta leave him.

Even if he has to chase him to the ends of the earth.

* * *

His first step is to call Jaehyun. The man picks up almost after the first ring.

 _“Okay, okay, go ahead tell me how happy you are,”_ the man grumbles. _“Doyoung already told me what Yuta’s gift to you was. Damn, I thought your gift was great but Yuta’s is really-”_

“Jaehyun,” Taeyong interrupts. “Do you know where Yuta is?”

Jaehyun falls silent before answering in confusion. _“…wait, aren’t you two…?”_

“It’s a long story, but I need to know. Is Doyoung there with you?”

_“Yeah, hold-”_

“ _If that’s Lee Taeyong, you can tell him he can fuck right off!”_

Taeyong feels his heart sink but then buoy right back up. If Doyoung is angry, that must mean that he’s spoken with Yuta. He can already hear Jaehyun’s muffled confusion, and he clutches the phone.

“Jaehyun, let me speak with Doyoung, _please_ ,” he begs and before long, he can hear Doyoung’s high pitched voice shrieking at him.

_“You stupid, selfish, cheating son of a **bitch** , I should just-”_

**“I didn’t cheat on him!”** Taeyong bellows. “I would never! I know it looks bad but I didn’t do it! I didn’t touch him!”

“ _Well, you haven’t exactly give him a reason to feel secure, have you?_ ” Doyoung snaps back. Even though he and Yuta might argue and banter, Taeyong knows Doyoung protects Yuta like a mother hen. “ _I’m not telling you where he’s going.”_

“Doyoung, please,” Taeyong’s voice cracks. “Please, I love him. I love him more than anyone I’ve ever loved. I’ll give you anything, I’ll tell you anything, I’ll do whatever you say, just please, please… don’t let him leave me.”

He tries his hardest not to weep but he can’t stop; he doesn’t remember ever feeling this lonely, even when Minki left him.

“ _... go to hell,”_ is all Doyoung bitingly says and Taeyong can’t stop the sob from slipping past his lips.

“ _Taeyong,”_ Jaehyun’s whisper comes through the phone. It sounds like he’s taken the phone back from Doyoung. “ _Listen, I’ll try to calm Doyoung down and find out where Yuta is. But he hasn’t come here, as far as I know. What happened?!”_

“I… Minki took his clothes off and crawled into my bed while I was showering and when Yuta came back, he saw him and thought…” Taeyong shakes his head, his sadness slowly overcome with rage. “He thought I slept with him.”

Jaehyun falls silent. _“Ooh… yeah, that’s bad.”_

“But I didn’t,” Taeyong pleads. “I would never touch Minki again; when he came back, he seemed like he really wanted to be part of Jaemin’s life again and so I let him back in as another parental figure, not as Yuta’s replacement. I would never replace Yuta.”

“ _Well, listen, I’ll do my best. In the meantime, just… take care of Jaemin. He’s probably upset, isn’t he?”_

“He… He called Yuta ‘Papa’,” Taeyong tries not to burst into tears again. “Oh god, Jaehyun-ah, what if I really lose him? What if… What if I-?”

 _“Don’t worry about ‘what if’s,”_ Jaehyun says grimly. _“I’ll call you back in a little bit, I’m going to try and convince Doyoung.”_

“Thank you, Jaehyun, thank you, thank you, thank you,” Taeyong repeats a million times before hanging up and opening his liquor cabinet.

He doesn’t drink much, but he’ll need to take the edge off.

* * *

True to Jaehyun’s word, he calls back in about an hour.

“ _So I’ve got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?”_

“…the bad news,” Taeyong cringes, gulping down his whiskey. Jaehyun sighs.

_“Doyoung still refuses to say where Yuta is or where he’s going.”_

Taeyong slumps, phone pressed to his ear. “Then what’s the good news?”

_“He’s agreed to tell Yuta that you said you didn’t cheat on him. He’s going to try and convince him to call you at least.”_

Taeyong feels his hopes raise. That’s better than nothing, and at least then he knows Yuta is safe.

Him and…

Taeyong’s heart pounds with fervor as he finally lets the surprise from earlier sink in.

Yuta is pregnant. He’s pregnant with his _child_. Taeyong can’t help a hopeful smile spread across his face. Once Yuta hears that he didn’t cheat on him, surely he’d come back, wouldn’t he?

…wouldn’t he?

* * *

The call comes a few hours later, but they feel like years to Taeyong. He’s actually surprised he the sun hasn’t set yet. It feels like he’s waited for so long, and when he sees it’s from an unknown number, his hands shake. He takes a deep breath and answers.

“…hello?”

There’s silence on the other end of the line and Taeyong clutches the phone. “Hello?!”

_“…hi, Taeyong.”_

“Yuta,” Taeyong relaxes once he hears his lover’s voice. “God, Yuta, you scared me so badly. I-”

 _“I’m not calling to speak with you,”_ Yuta’s voice is soft and warbles as if he had been crying. _“I want to speak with Jaemin.”_

“But I need to tell you-”

_“Doyoung told me everything I needed to hear. I want to speak with Jaemin.”_

“Yuta, please,” Taeyong struggles not to cry himself. “Yuta, I love you.”

_“If you don’t give the phone to Jaemin right now, I’m hanging up.”_

“No!” Taeyong shouts hurriedly. “Okay, okay, he-”

“Is that Yuyu!?”

Taeyong jumps as he sees Jaemin behind him and he quickly puts the phone on speaker. Jaemin tentatively comes forward.

“…Yuyu?”

_“Hi, Nana.”_

Jaemin immediately begins to tear up. “Yuyu, did you leave because of me? I promise I won’t be bad again, please don’t go away!”

 _“You weren’t bad, my Nana. You were wonderful,_ ” Yuta takes a deep breath. _“Nana, I want you to be good for your Appa, okay? I… I have to leave.”_

“But why, Yuyu?!” Jaemin sobs. “Is it because of Minki-appa?! I’ll tell him not to come anymore, please don’t leave me!”

_“There’s just something I have to do, Nana. I need you to be brave and take care of your Appa for me.”_

Yuta patiently waits as he hears Jaemin cry noisily through the phone, hiccupping loudly.

“…I love you, Papa,” Jaemin scrubs his eyes and Yuta has to bite down his own sob.

“ _I love you too, Nana.”_

Taeyong, meanwhile, is trying to listen to the background. Where is Yuta? He can hear quiet murmuring in Japanese and he freezes.

_“I have to go now. We’ll meet again for sure, Nana.”_

Jaemin’s only response is to cry more and Taeyong clutches the phone.

“Yuta!” he cries. “Yuta, don’t leave! Don’t get on the plane, please!”

_“How-?”_

“You’re at the airport, aren’t you?!” Taeyong demands. “Please, Yuta, nothing happened! You can’t… You can’t just leave with our child!”

 _“I… I need some time away,_ ” Yuta finally manages, voice soft and trembling. _“You can’t say how much you love me only when I’m about to leave.”_

“I’m sorry,” Taeyong shakes his head furiously. “I’m sorry, I know I’ve been neglecting you. Come back, please, Yuta, you can’t leave us. We’re… We’re your family.”

“I don’t have a family,” Yuta responds in a tiny voice. “Goodbye, Taeyong.”

“ _No, Yuta_ -!” Taeyong screams, but his phone falls silent and Taeyong can only slide to the floor, heart pounding as he holds his still sobbing son.


	5. The Plane

Yuta hangs up, eyes welling with tears.

_Goodbye, Taeyong. Goodbye, Nana. Goodbye, Korea._

“Young master?”

He looks up and sighs before speaking Japanese. “Yes, yes, I’m going.”

He gazes around the private hangar one last time before boarding the plane. He cringes as he walks through the luxurious cabin and finally goes to meet the only occupant.

“You’ve become more beautiful, Yuta.”

Yuta inwardly rolls his eyes. “Hello, Kento-kun.”

Yamazaki Kento tilts his head. “Sit with me?”

Yuta silently takes a seat, looking away. There’s silence between the two men, only the quiet purr of the plane engine humming underneath them, until Kento finally speaks again.

“So… you’ve decided to come back? You’re accepting your position?”

“I’m not that desperate,” Yuta looks down at his knees. “I’m not going back to that hellhole.”

“Yuta…” the handsome man straightens his tie before clearing his throat. “I don’t understand why you even left. You’re the youngest child to the largest real estate corporation in Japan. Do you know how much you terrified me when I realized you had run away? You’ve been sheltered your entire life, Yuta!”

“Oh what do you know?” Yuta huffs and Kento responds with a sound of disbelief.

“What do I _know_? I’m only your fiancée!”

“Not by choice!” Yuta retorts. “Come on, Kento-kun, you can’t actually want this union! Doesn’t it make you sick?! Our parents matching us up as some kind of dream couple, like we’re dolls?!”

“I’m the son of the Hinode group,” Kento lowers his head solemnly. “My mother gave birth to me to carry on her line.”

“See?!” Yuta explodes. “That’s what I’m talking about! God, Kento-kun! You were never like this when we were young! Come on, you cried when I tried holding your hand, and what, you want to get _married_ now?!”

“Yes!” Kento roars, standing up and Yuta actually backs away, eyes wide. He doesn’t remember his childhood friend being so… tall. And _wow_ , he must have started working out, he remembers Yamazaki Kento being a skinny, quiet thing.

Yuta, however, doesn’t break his level gaze, eyes defiant, and Kento gazes at him squarely.

“I’ve already told your parents we’re going through with this union.”

“I’m not a fucking doll,” Yuta snarls.

“Then _why_ did you ask me to bring you back to Japan?”

Yuta feels sadness, raw and heavy, filter back into his heart. Kento has just reminded him of… Taeyong.

“Because…” his voice wobbles. “I… I needed to leave Korea as soon as possible, and you were the only one I could contact that had a private plane.”

“You could have called your parents,” Kento points out and Yuta snorts.

“Call my parents? My father’s only ever talked to me twice in my life. Once when I was old enough to understand he was saying he was busy with work, and then when I left Japan, to tell me I was a disappointment.”

“One more time than mine, then,” Kento says dryly, before changing his expression to one of pleading and kneeling before the beautiful man. Yuta gulps.

Time has been _very_ kind to his _very_ handsome childhood friend and even though it makes him uncomfortable, he can’t deny that Yamazaki Kento has become more attractive than he could have ever imagined.

“Yuta… let’s just be together,” Kento begs. “I’m _glad_ your parents arranged for us to be together. I… love you, Yuta.”

“I’m pregnant,” Yuta blurts out and Kento’s expression changes. He slowly stands back up and goes back to his seat, gazing at Yuta, before he silently slumps in his seat and Yuta tentatively calls out to him.

“…Kento-kun?”

“You… You actually found someone?” Kento murmurs. “You found someone else?”

“…yeah,” Yuta says softly. “Yeah, I did. And he was someone who loved me, not knowing about my money or my lineage.”

“Is the child…?”

“Yeah,” Yuta swallows. “It’s his.”

“…so what do you want from me?” Kento releases a heavy breath. “I can’t imagine you’re asking me to be your child’s father.”

“…can you lend me some money?” Yuta asks timidly. “Just enough for me to get my own job and get on my feet.”

“You’re _unbelievable_ ,” Kento says, voice both exasperated and admiring. “I offer you the chance to be married to me and have a stable life and family, and you ask me for money?”

“I know you can afford it,” Yuta bites the inside of his cheek. “If you won’t lend me the money, I’ll find my own way.”

“You’re so cruel,” Kento leans his cheek against the heel of his palm, eyes sorrowful. “You know I can’t do that. I can’t leave you abandoned in Japan. You don’t know how the outside world works.”

“I raised a _child_ ,” Yuta snaps. “My boyfriend was almost never home, so I became a parent!”

“…you raised a child, really?” Kento leans back. “What was that like?”

“…it was wonderful,” Yuta’s eyes mist over. “He was the most precious child I’ve ever met. I was so happy to take care of him and feed him and love him and hold him...”

“…what was his name?”

“His name was Jaemin,” Yuta can’t stop his voice from wobbling as he says the name of his child. Kento remains silent, before looking up, fingertips lightly touching.

“I mean, what was your boyfriend’s name?”

Yuta looks up, and can’t say anything, pupils trembling. Kento leans in, eyes dark.

“I want to hear it. I want to hear you say his name. I want to know the name of the person who kept you away from me.”

“His name was… Taeyong. Lee Taeyong.”

Yuta’s eyes well with tears. Saying his name is causing memories to flash back in his mind. Taeyong kissing his forehead. Taeyong cooking his new pasta dishes for him. Taeyong pretending not to cry when he watches Korean dramas with him.

The memories are so beautiful and lovely that Yuta almost drowns in them, until the memories begin to grow tainted, flashbacks of him walking in on Taeyong and Minki. Yuta feels like throwing up.

Even though Doyoung’s already told him that Taeyong didn’t cheat on him, Yuta’s heart hurts when he remembers Minki’s cruel comment.

_“Technically, aren’t you the other person? You’re the one who’s been spreading your legs for a married man.”_

“So you left him? What, to see if he would chase after you?” Kento asks, breaking Yuta’s thoughts and Yuta smiles humorlessly.

“I wish.”

“Then…”

“…I left because I felt like he didn’t really want me around anymore,” Yuta can’t stop the whimper from slipping past his lips and inwardly curses when he sees Kento’s expression. The tall Japanese man taps his fingertips together lightly before nodding.

“Fine. I’ll lend you money, but I want something else in exchange.”

“What?”

“…live with me.”

“ _What!?”_ Yuta repeats, this time eyes wide and jaw dropped. Did Kento seriously just say…?

“I understand you don’t want to be with me anymore. But…” Kento’s eyes are determined as they pierce into Yuta’s. “At the very least, stay by my side. I can’t willingly let you roam Japan, alone and pregnant. Especially with who your parents are, someone could use you as ransom.”

Yuta’s shoulders slump. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

“Don’t say that,” Kento pleads. “I don’t want to do this, but it’s the only way I know to hold on to you.”

“So you want to keep me imprisoned. Like some bird trapped in a cage.”

_“Sir,” _ a professional voice comes over the speakerphone. “ _We are landing in Japan now.”_

Kento looks up, acknowledging the announcement, before turning back to Yuta. The tall man leans back in his seat, lips quirked upwards slightly.

“I’ve never had a bird,” Kento says quietly, eyes dark and voice soft. “But I guarantee you if I did, I would make it sing every night.”

Yuta barely manages to choke back a gasp as he wonders if this is really the better option.

* * *

Taeyong finishes packing his bag and turns to see Jaehyun, who looks torn.

“Are you sure we should do this, Taeyong?” the blond man asks, biting the inside of his cheek. “What if Yuta doesn’t want you to come after him?”

“I’ll leave that up to him,” Taeyong shoulders his backpack. “Maybe he doesn’t want me anymore, but… I have to try. I have to make him understand how much we need him, Jaemin and I.”

“…why didn’t you just come clean with him?” Jaehyun sighs. “If he knew you were spending this much time to make him Jaemin’s legal father, he would have understood more, I’m sure.”

“Because I’m a moron, that’s why,” Taeyong zips up his luggage. “I was afraid of hurting Minki’s feelings, so I wanted to finalize the divorce, suggest the idea of Yuta becoming Jaemin’s legal parent to him, and then the two of us would break the news to Minki together.”

Jaehyun doesn’t answer, but Taeyong’s angry scoff tells him just how upset his friend is.

“ _Hurting_ Minki’s feelings,” Taeyong spits out, anger clearly directed at himself. “I didn’t want to offend my bitch of an ex, so I neglected the person I was doing all of this for.”

Lee Taeyong is normally not so good at showing his emotions, and so Jaehyun has seen his friend genuinely upset only three times ever. The first time was when Minki left him. The second was when Yuta was first hired. And the third time was when the panicked chef realized he was in love with said man.

But now…

Jaehyun doesn’t think he’s ever seen Taeyong this anguished.

“I’m an _idiot_ ,” Taeyong laughs, trying not to show his pained eyes. “Fuck, I… do you remember how stressed out I was when I was scared of asking him out? I was convinced I could never have him.”

Jaehyun remains silent as he lets his friend rant.

“But he… he felt the same way,” Taeyong’s voice is wondrous. “He liked me back. He… He loved me _too_. And I was happy and I swore I would do everything to protect the three of us. But now…”

Taeyong falls silent and Jaehyun claps his friend’s back.

“Come on, you can’t give up. You said so yourself, you’re going to have to try at least.”

Taeyong nods and hoists his backpack up again before releasing a deep breath. “You have everything? Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Jaehyun nods, shouldering his backpack. “Let’s go get your husband back.”

* * *

Before they go, Taeyong shares a quiet conversation with his son.

“Jaemin-ah… I’m going to go get Yuta back.”

Well, sort of. Jaemin just gazes at him and Taeyong’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Jaemin, I know you’re upset, but I need you to know… Yuta and I both love you very much.”

Jaemin still doesn’t say anything and Taeyong feels a chill of unwanted familiarity.

“…Jaemin-ah,” his voice cracks. “Jaemin, please, say something.”

Jaemin doesn’t say anything, just continuing to look at the ground.

“Jaemin,” Taeyong repeats, voice desperate. “Jaemin-ah, talk to Appa. Please, Jaemin. Son, please say something, _please_!”

Jaemin doesn’t respond again, just continuing to gaze blankly towards the ground, eyes hooded and unseeing. Taeyong fights the urge to sob and he reaches out to the small boy, only to feel a hand on his shoulder.

“Taeyong.”

Taeyong looks up to see none other than Doyoung, whose expression is no longer one of disgust but pity.

“It’s okay. I’ll watch over him.”

“…why won’t he say anything?” Taeyong whimpers and Doyoung finds himself unable to answer, so he instead forces the man to stand and half-drags him out of the room.

“Come on,” he murmurs. “Don’t scare Jaemin.”

“Why won’t he say anything back to me?” Taeyong begs, clutching Doyoung’s forearms, fighting the urge to collapse in his friend’s arms. “Doyoung, please, _please_ … what do I do?”

“You need to go get Yuta now,” Doyoung speaks firmly. “We all know, Yuta was the only one who could get Jaemin to talk, and now he’s the only one who can get him to talk again. Don’t let him go, Taeyong.”

* * *

After the hour-flight, as soon as they’re in their hotel room, Taeyong pulls out his laptop.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking up Yuta’s name,” Taeyong’s eyes don’t leave the computer screen.

“But you don’t use SNS,” Jaehyun points out and Taeyong clucks his tongue in annoyance.

“…yeah, no wonder I don’t know what’s happening,” he shakes his head. “Seriously, is this was social media has become? I can’t see anything!”

Jaehyun shakes his head. “He’s probably set everything to private. Here, I’ll log into Doyoung’s account…”

The two of them gaze at the laptop in wonder and confusion as Jaehyun logs in to his boyfriend’s account, and goes into Yuta’s profile. Jaehyun clicks his tongue and shakes his head.

“Yeah, it looks like he hasn’t uploaded anything in a while. I guess he doesn’t use SNS a lot either, he-”

“Wait,” Taeyong grabs Jaehyun’s arm to stop him from closing out of Yuta’s profile. He gazes at Yuta’s brightly beaming picture and the feeling of sorrow and pain is so familiar once again, he almost welcomes it.

The last time he saw Yuta, he had been so heartbroken, so _sad_ , and it hurts Taeyong’s heart to know that he’s caused this carefree, beautifully smiling man to shed tears.

“…look,” Jaehyun scrolls down and Taeyong goes through the pictures, eyes wide. He was unaware of it all this time, but other than the occasional picture of food or nature, most of the pictures are of the three of them.

Even though Taeyong was always aware of Yuta taking pictures, he hadn’t realized until now that Yuta has been uploading and saving them in his memories like this. He scrolls down and reads the comments on each one and he can only laugh.

 _~Yuyu (/_ _ᐠ_ _●_ **_v_** _●_ _ᐟ\\) and Nana_ _(•ө•) and Tae-chan (V_ _●_ _ω_ _● V)~_

_Happy Birthday, Tae-chan!_ _♪ (_ _ ﾉ _ _^_ _ ∀ _ _^)_ _ﾉ┌ iii_ _ ┐♪ _

_My first time cooking carbonara!_ _(_ _ﾉ_ _◕_ _ヮ_ _◕)_ _ﾉ *:_ _・ﾟ_ _✧ Fingers crossed Tae-chan doesn’t get sick >_<_

_Nana’s first day in pre-school!_ _(•ө•) My Nana is getting so big~!_

_My first Christmas with Tae-chan. Here’s your present! (_ _ ´ _ _ ・ _ _ ω _ _ ・ _ _)_ _ っ由 _

Jaehyun has already quietly left the room, knowing his friend can use some privacy.

Taeyong doesn’t even notice, too enthralled with looking at the pictures his lover has taken throughout their years together. When Taeyong gets to the first picture Yuta’s ever uploaded, he frowns. It’s a picture of his back, and he recognizes his chef uniform. He scrolls down to read the comment and simply gazes at it.

-

_“Nakamoto!”_

_“Yes, Chef?!” Yuta scurries into the kitchen and Taeyong glares at him._

_“What’s taking so long?!” he barks. “Table five’s order has been in the window for this long!”_

_“Yes, sir, sorry!” Yuta gasps and quickly grabs the plate before dashing back out. Taeyong lets out a scoff of frustration as Ten nudges him._

_“Come on, Chef Lee,” his sous chef shakes his head. “It’s his first day and he’s already nervous as it is.”_

_“Why do we keep hiring incompetent people, then?” Taeyong snaps, tasting the batch of freshly baked tarts. “At the end of the week when he’s clumsy and still tripping over his words, are we going to say it’s his first week?”_

_“Seriously, you’re being so harsh,” the sous chef shakes his head. “Yuta-shi’s Korean is actually really fluent, I’ve noticed he just gets more nervous when he’s with you.”_

_“Nervous?!” Taeyong scoffs. “He was all bravado and confidence at the interview, what nervousness?”_

_“Oh come on,” Ten sighs. “You’ve been yelling at him all day, of course it’ll start wearing on him.”_

_“Whatever,” Taeyong huffs. “I don’t want to think about Nakamoto anymore.”_

_-_

Taeyong just stares at the picture of his back. When he looked at the date it had been uploaded, it had been within the first month Yuta had started at the restaurant… Yuta had taken a picture of him? And it seemed to be more than just that.

Taeyong gazes at the caption under his picture and can only let out a small sound of disbelief. Nakamoto Yuta really knew him, even when they had first met. Even though Taeyong always acted tough and intimidating, it seemed like Yuta had noticed what nobody else had.

**_“The most frightening thing is not being lonely. It’s seeing someone else who’s alone and thinking you aren’t good enough to cure their loneliness.”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made that quote up out of nowhere (credits to F2of95line, thank you). Lol I don't know, I was trying to find a good quote, but I couldn't find one, so I just thought of one of my own.


	6. The Event

Jaehyun pretends he doesn’t see his friend’s swollen eyes when he returns to their room a few hours later, holding bags of to-go sushi.

“So… I think I know our first stop,” Jaehyun says offhandedly as he unpacks the sushi. Taeyong looks up in surprise.

“You do? How?”

“I called Doyoung,” Jaehyun cracks his chopsticks. “I wasn’t able to, uh, get much out of him.”

Taeyong winces, knowing what the bunny-resembling man’s temper looks like.

“But he did say…” Jaehyun hesitates. “Yuta’s family is apparently rich. Like, _very_ rich.”

“…and?” Taeyong presses. He’s slightly stunned at knowing about his lover’s financial background, but he’s too curious to know where Yuta is.

“So after he told me that, I looked up any news articles about any Nakamotos.”

“But that’s a common surname!” Taeyong protests.

“Yeah, that was difficult,” Jaehyun shrugs and Taeyong nearly tears his hair out.

“ _So what happened?!”_

Jaehyun hesitates. “Well… I looked up any articles about any Nakamotos from three years ago, right before Yuta first came to Korea. And it looks like… there was just one. Nakamoto Tomiichi, the owner of the largest real estate development corporation in Japan, announced he was joining hands with the Hinode Corporation.”

Taeyong fights the urge to throttle Jaehyun when he pauses to take a sip of chilled green tea.

“ _And what?!”_

“The grandson of the owner of Hinode Corporation is around our age. His mother’s father owns the corporation, so he’s the heir. Apparently his name is Yamazaki Kento, and…” Jaehyun smiles grimly. “ _His_ SNS isn’t set to private. And when I checked it out… it looks like he and Yuta had something going on before Yuta came to Korea.”

Taeyong’s already pulled out the laptop again, sushi forgotten. He types out his name and even though he hates to admit it, he actually feels his stomach twist when he sees the man. Yamazaki Kento has a picture of himself simply drinking coffee or trying on a suit, but each photo looks like a pictorial.

Taeyong normally isn’t one to feel self-doubt when it comes to physical appearance, but Kento looks like someone to be worried about, especially if Yuta has actually gone back to him.

“So!” Jaehyun’s voice breaks Taeyong out of his worried thoughts. “I looked up Hinode Corporation and it looks like they’re having a public event soon.”

“What does this corporation actually do?” Taeyong gulps.

“They’re responsible for manufacturing most of the airplanes of Japan,” Jaehyun shrugs. “The public event is going to be them announcing the release of a new jet or something. No wonder; their parents probably set them up or something. Can you imagine what kind of power couple that would be?”

Taeyong doesn’t say anything, but suddenly without a word, he takes his phone out of his pocket.

“T- Taeyong?!”

To his surprise, Taeyong suddenly begins to speak choppy, but understandable Japanese on the phone. Jaehyun just gapes at his friend as the man continues his conversation, until finally hanging up.

“What… What was that?”

“I’m getting us into the event,” is all Taeyong says simply and Jaehyun jaw drops.

“What?! How-?!”

“If they’re a big company, and a traditional one, that means they’ll cater with a high-quality restaurant. I didn’t obtain my Michelin star for nothing; I called my friend, he’s an executive chef at one of the most expensive restaurants in Japan. He’s going to find out who’s catering for the Hinode event and call me back.”

“That’s… That was _awesome_!” Jaehyun gapes. “I didn’t know you could do that!”

“…not gonna lie, I didn’t know either. I kinda just called and hoped I wouldn’t be hung up on, I haven’t really been keeping up with the group.”

* * *

A few days later, Jaehyun is not as impressed. He gives his friend a deadened look before looking down at his drab runner’s outfit.

“What?” Taeyong says sheepishly. “I said I could get us in!”

“Yeah, you failed to mention we’d be hired as the help,” Jaehyun groans as he lugs a box into the back. “Ughh, I graduated from university, and I’m hauling boxes at some promo event. What is life?”

Taeyong lifts another box out of the back of the van and dutifully brings it in. Once he finishes this, he’ll have to scope the event. It’s pathetic, but it thrills him to know that he might be able to see Yuta again.

Just _seeing_ him, just once, would be enough to soothe his aching heart.

* * *

Before the event starts, Taeyong calls Doyoung to check on everything back home.

_“Hi.”_

Taeyong immediately feels his heart seized with panic when he hears how glum Doyoung is.

“…how is…?”

“He’s fine,” Doyoung sighs. “He’s doing well in school and everything, but… everyone’s concerned about the fact that he’s stopped talking again. Even his best friend can’t get him to talk.”

“I’m so close,” Taeyong vows. “Tell him I’m almost home, and… I’m bringing Papa with me.”

* * *

“Welcome back, Kento-bocchama, Yuta-bocchama,” the butler bows as he opens the front door to greet Yuta and Kento. Kento smiles.

“Are you feeling okay, Yuta?”

Yuta rolls his eyes. “Kento-kun, this is the fourth time you’ve asked since we’ve left the doctor’s office. I am _fine_.”

“I just want to make sure!” Kento insists. “Are you craving anything?”

“Hmm… actually yeah, I’m craving crab. Can we order some food?”

“Actually… if you want food, you should wait for tonight,” Kento checks his watch. “We’re holding the launch event for the latest jet plane. Let’s go to it.”

“I’m _exhausted_ ,” Yuta whines. “I don’t want to go to that! I just want food!”

“It’s in five hours!” Kento explains. “Why don’t you take a nap and we can go?”

Yuta’s eyes narrow. “…it’s a launch event?”

“…yes.”

Yuta huffs. “My parents are going to be there, aren’t they?”

“Yes, but-”

“Seriously, give it up,” Yuta frowns. “I’m not going to see them. What makes you think-?”

“Momoka-onee-sama will be there too.”

Yuta immediately falls silent. He hates to admit it, but that one holds him in a bind. He misses his sister, misses her immensely. She was always their parents’ favorite, the golden child who was smart, beautiful, elegant, and kind. Whenever Yuta got into trouble as an excited, young kid, she would protect him from their parents, would rub his back until he stopped crying.

She had been one of the few reasons he hesitated leaving Japan but once she got married, Yuta knew it was no longer his job to protect her and had left.

Yuta misses his sister, and he knows Kento knows it too. He finally huffs again.

“Oh all right. But I’m not wearing a suit.”

* * *

He wears a suit.

Kento apparently had scheduled a tailor to come and measure out Yuta’s dimensions to create a suit that wouldn’t hinder his slightly swelling stomach. Yuta has to admit, he feels… pretty. He feels dolled up and pampered and maybe it’s the pregnancy glow, but he can’t help but to preen slightly when he looks at himself in the mirror.

“You ready to go?” Kento strides into his room, adjusting his cufflinks. Yuta clears his throat, uncomfortable when he sees how attractive Kento looks, in his dark blue suit, expensive silver cufflinks, and his thin, black necktie.

“You, um…” Yuta indicates towards his neck. “Your necktie is crooked.”

“Oh, is it?” Kento tries to fix it, and Yuta just shakes his head.

“Here…” he gets off the chair and re-ties the necktie, murmuring instructions under his breath.

“And one and loop and-”

“ _Yuta.”_

Yuta’s eyes snap up at Kento’s deep voice and he realizes just how intimate their position is and he immediately releases his hands from Kento’s tie, but freezes when his slender wrists are clutched. The two of them gaze at each other, and Yuta can’t resist.

“... _Taeyong_ ,” Yuta whimpers and Kento immediately releases his hands, eyes dark.

“How are you so cruel?” he whispers and Yuta’s eyes well with tears, half in apology to his friend, and half from the scar in his heart.

“I’m sorry.”

“…no, you’re not.”

“Ken-”

“Let’s go,” Kento turns away and Yuta tries reaching out again, heart wrenched and heavy with guilt.

“ _Kento-”_

“The car is here.”

And Yuta can only gaze down, caressing his swollen stomach.

_Why do I keep hurting the people who care about me?_

* * *

The car ride is strangely silent and Yuta fiddles with the bottom of his jacket, unsure how to apologize. In the end, he finally keeps his thoughts to himself, swallowing down his ‘sorry’ and exiting the car. Although his stomach roils at the idea of seeing his parents again, he is undoubtedly excited about seeing Momoka.

He enters the luxurious hall, reverting to the old Nakamoto Yuta, who used to be quiet and docile and a dutiful son.

Several people even greet him, clearly unaware that he was missing from the country for several years. Yuta, similarly does not recognize them, but bows and greets them with gushing praise and respect.

“Where’s Momoka?” he asks after the entire show of ‘hello’s and ‘how do you do’s.

“She’s probably on her way here,” Kento shrugs. “We came early because this is my parents’ event.”

Yuta frowns, sighing. “Well I’m still hungry. I’m going to go eat something.”

“I’ll come with you,” Kento volunteers and the two of them head over to the long buffet line. Yuta inwardly drools.

It’s been a long time since he’s eaten this fabulously, and his child wriggles happily in his stomach, excited upon seeing so much food.

“Me too, Aka-chan,” Yuta lightly pats his belly; he still has his cravings, and he can already see some seafood dishes lined up at the end of the table. Kento chuckles slightly, and Yuta is glad to see him smiling again.

“I recommend you taste the Singaporean chili crab,” the man behind the buffet line table, wearing a face mask, offers and Yuta smiles as he looks up.

“Oh, thank-”

His smile freezes when it suddenly sinks in to him that the man behind the counter just said that _in Korean_.

The two men gaze at each other until finally Yuta manages to squeak out, “Taeyong?”

 _“ This_ is Taeyong?” Kento demands, butchering the name somewhat, but Yuta can’t bring himself to say anything. Taeyong lowers his cheap face mask, eyes unblinking as they don’t leave Yuta.

* * *

_You look… beautiful._

Taeyong knows it’s silly but he’s actually tempted to jump on the table and yell out to everyone how the radiant man in front of him is his. He feels his heart darken with guilt when he sees Yuta’s swelling stomach.

_You’re this far along… how did I not **notice** …? How was I this **stupid**?_

“Yuta,” he lets the name drop from his lips like a prayer, and Yuta looks down, releasing a heavy breath.

“Why are you… here, Taeyong?”

“I’m here to take you home,” Taeyong’s eyes don’t leave Yuta, dark and firm, and Yuta looks at him in genuine surprise.

“You came _all_ this way? For…?” Yuta doesn’t dare to ask if it’s for himself.

“Of course I did,” Taeyong’s voice wobbles ever so slightly. “Of course I did, Yuta.”

Jaehyun subtly sidles next to Taeyong’s side and Kento glares at both men.

“Yuta, let’s go,” Kento says sharply, and Taeyong immediately speaks up. Even though his Japanese isn’t that great, he understands and speaks enough to get by.

“Yuta, don’t go yet,” he pleads. “Please, you need to understand, we… we need you, Jaemin and I. We’re not a complete family without you.”

“Yuta’s family is _here_ , with me,” Kento responds, and Yuta turns to him in surprise. He didn’t realize Kento had studied enough Korean to understand the conversation. Taeyong’s eyes narrow.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Yuta’s fiancée.”

“I’m Yuta’s _husband_ ,” Taeyong spits back and Kento gives him a cool look that makes Taeyong’s insides boil.

“That’s not what I heard.”

“Well you heard wrong.”

Yuta gapes at Taeyong as he lifts his hand. On his finger is the silver proposal ring Yuta had left in the anniversary gift bag.

“Yuta, we’re _leaving,_ ” Kento insists. “We’re not going to spend time here, talking to the help.”

“Excuse me?!” Taeyong shoots Kento a hard glare. “Aren’t you going too far with your words?”

“Oh, right, I’m going to get something else to drink. Where can I put my cup?” Kento carelessly hands Taeyong his used cup and the Korean man’s eye twitches, before he speaks in Japanese.

“I’ll tell you where you can put your cup-”

“Taeyong!” Yuta warns and the Korean man huffs, calming down. Kento doesn’t say anything for a little bit, until he gazes directly at Taeyong.

“Why should I let Yuta go back to you? You hurt him.”

“Because… I can’t make it without him.”

Yuta feels his cheeks heat up and even more so when he realizes that most of the guests of the event have arrived and some of them are paying attention to their little corner.

“I need him,” Taeyong doesn’t look at Yuta, focused only on Kento. “I don’t want to imagine my life without him, because I love him more than I’ve ever, ever loved anybody else.”

Yuta’s eyes well with tears. His boyfriend is known for being cold and stubborn, so to hear him say confess such cringeworthy lines makes his heart flutter. “…Taeyong…”

“He’s not carrying my child by accident,” Taeyong continues fiercely, clenching his fists. “That is _my_ child and he is _my_ husband.”

“…but aren’t you married to someone else?” Yuta cuts in and Taeyong’s heart hurts once more.

“Yuta, I’ve spent all this time dealing with my divorce with him,” he begs. “I wanted to surprise you because… well, this was _my_ anniversary present to you.”

Yuta looks up in surprise as Taeyong reaches into his backpack and pulls out a document. Yuta frowns in confusion at all the legal Korean jargon, until his breath catches.

He can read only three things at the bottom.

The first is Taeyong’s full name: _‘Lee Taeyong’._

The second is his own: _‘Nakamoto Yuta’ (also recognized in the Republic of Korea as ‘Na Yuta’)_

And the last, at the bottom is: _‘Na Jaemin’_

“I… I wanted Jaemin to become your legal child and… and to take your last name,” Taeyong pleads. “You have to believe me, Yuta, that was always my intention. I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention to you, but… I really thought I was doing the right thing.”

“…why didn’t you just say this, you idiot?” Yuta sniffles, looking away and Kento puts a gentle hand against his back, leading Taeyong to let out a strangled sound.

“I thought… I thought I could do everything on my own. I learned… I learned the hard way, what happens when I don’t trust you.”

“I would trust Yuta with my life,” Kento speaks up. “So you and I are clearly different there.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t understand that,” Taeyong says rudely, and Yuta actually edges away when he feels the static between the two glaring men.

“Yuta, I already arranged today’s car to take us back later. Your sister is waiting for us, let’s go.”

Yuta doesn’t answer and once again, he and Taeyong exchange looks that only they understand. And Taeyong’s breath hitches when he sees the look in Yuta’s eyes.

He wishes, desperately, that he doesn’t understand those eyes, bright and shining with unshed tears, but he can read the message and he’s distinctly aware of his heart shattering.

_Stop hurting me._

Taeyong wants to bow down and beg, beg for Yuta to return to him, to bring joy and happiness into his and Jaemin’s lives again, but… can he really be so selfish?

When he sees Yuta holding his stomach, and Kento’s protective hand, Taeyong knows what he has to do.

“You… You know what…?” Taeyong releases a slow breath before slowly looking up and trying to smile at the confused Kento. “You’re right. I… I hurt him. And… And I’d rather see him happy and free than caged and miserable with me. So… if you’re the one who can make him happy…”

“Taeyong…?” Jaehyun nudges his friend, eyes wide. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” Taeyong pauses before switching to Japanese and facing Kento squarely, before speaking in struggling, but attempted Japanese. “Please don’t sleep too late at night. Yuta likes to wake up early.”

Kento remains silent, but quietly acknowledges that he is listening and Taeyong continues.

“He pretends he’s good at cooking, so you have to help him when he’s pretending not to look. He doesn’t like sweet drinks like lemonade or soda, so if you go to a café, he prefers Americano without sugar. If he’s angry, you have to let him beat you at soccer or a game he’s good at, so he’ll feel better. If he’s craving spicy food, it means he wants to drink that night too, so don’t let him drink too much.”

“Taeyong…” Yuta’s voice cracks and the Korean man just looks up at him, ignoring the surrounding guests who are whispering as they point at the trio.

“I… I wish you happiness,” is all he manages to say before he exits through the door behind him, followed by a slightly stunned Jaehyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm running out of ideas for this fic. Next chapter is probably the last one (....I think).


	7. The Happy Ending

It’s only when they’re outside, in the alleyway that Jaehyun rounds on Taeyong, punching his friend none-too-lightly in the shoulder.

“Dude! What was that?!”

Taeyong doesn’t answer and Jaehyun releases a heavy breath. “Well, I guess we-”

“Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun stops when he hears his friend’s strangled voice. “…yeah?”

“I’m really sorry,” Taeyong tries not to whimper. “But… just for now… can… can I just…?”

Jaehyun sighs and lightly pats his friend’s back as Taeyong cries into his shoulder.

“Why did you let him go, idiot?” Jaehyun says, voice not holding any malice. “You promised you would bring him back, you promised Jaemin you were bringing back his papa.”

“How could I do that to him?” Taeyong whimpers. “You… You know what I realized? I realized… who was I to take Yuta for granted?”

“…what do you mean?”

“Yuta spent most of his life in Korea taking care of Jaemin for me. He tended to the apartment for me. He… He did all the things I wanted in a husband, and didn’t even care about himself. He didn’t have to do any of the things he did. He could have bailed when he knew he would have to take care of a child that wasn’t his, but he did it because he loved us. So I want him back, so badly Jaehyun, you have no idea. I want him to be in our family again, but… I owe Yuta three years of his life. And if he… if he doesn’t want to give it to me… who am I to demand it?”

Taeyong breaks down and continues to sob, cries muffled in Jaehyun’s shoulder. The taller man sighs heavily, just rubbing his friend’s back.

“I… I just want him to be happy again…” Taeyong weeps into his friend’s shoulder. “I want him to smile like he did before.”

"..."

“…Taeyong…”

* * *

Yuta just stares, frozen, at the door that Taeyong had left through. He feels… light.

And empty.

Like a glass bottle that’s been drained of all its content.

“Wow.”

Yuta jumps when he hears Kento’s quiet voice next to him.

“I knew he’d be desperate, but I didn’t think he would be this… passionate,” Kento phrases delicately and Yuta’s eyebrows furrow at the strange phrasing.

“What do you mean, you _knew_?”

Kento doesn’t say anything, and Yuta’s eyes pop open. “Wait a minute… you _knew_ Taeyong was going to be here?”

“Of course I did,” Kento responds tonelessly. “My parents own practically all the airlines in Japan, Yuta. As soon as you told me Lee Taeyong’s name, I put a red flag up on all flights from Korea to Japan, to let me know if he boarded.”

“But-”

“He got on a plane literally a day after I picked you up,” Kento snorts. “I knew then, you were wrong.”

“Wrong?” Yuta repeats faintly.

“You said you left because Lee Taeyong didn’t want you around anymore. Within 24 hours of you coming to Japan, he bought a last-minute plane ticket, flew to Japan, and reached out to the Japan Chef Association to enter the event. You think those are the actions of someone who doesn’t want you around?”

“…Kento-kun, you-”

“Choose.”

“What are you-?”

“I’m not doing this anymore,” Kento’s voice is hard and bitter and Yuta actually takes a step back, eyes wide. “This is the last and final time. If you let him go now, I will make sure he goes back to Korea and you won’t see him again. And when that happens, I guarantee you, you and I will be married. So… choose. You either go after him and I give up on you, or… you stay with me, and I’ll make you happy forever.”

Yuta just stares, unable to comprehend what is happening… until he slowly shakes his head.

“That’s… That’s not possible.”

“And why not?” Kento demands, and Yuta gives him the saddest smile Kento has ever seen from him.

“Because… I can’t be happy without him. So even if I stay with you… I won’t be happy.”

“…then go,” Kento whispers, and Yuta fights back a sob.

“But-”

“Go, Yuta.”

“Kento-”

“Lee Taeyong said he wanted you to be happy didn’t he? How does he expect you to do that if he’s not in your life?”

Yuta’s eyes well with tears. “I’m not going to see you again, am I, Kento-kun?”

“…good-bye Yuta.”

And with that, Kento gently grasps the shoulders of the man he loves, subtly whirls him around, and lightly pushes him towards the door that Taeyong has just walked through.

“Go.”

And without looking back, Yuta goes through the door, ignoring the eyes from everyone else in the room who are curious, but not enough to get involved in something that doesn’t include them.

“Good-bye, Nakamoto Yuta,” Kento repeats under his breath, gazing at the closed door.

“…was that my brother?”

* * *

Yuta immediately looks around as soon as he’s outside, heart pounding. He doesn’t have to look far, as his ears pick up the sound of loud, ugly sobbing blended with Korean. He hesitates before he reveals himself, however.

What if he’s wrong? What if-?

_“Yuta spent most of his life in Korea taking care of Jaemin for me. He tended to the apartment for me. He… He did all the things I wanted in a husband, and didn’t even care about himself. He didn’t have to do any of the things he did. He could have bailed when he knew he would have to take care of a child that wasn’t his, but he did it because he loved us. So I want him back, so badly Jaehyun, you have no idea. I want him to be in our family again, but… I owe Yuta three years of his life. And if he… if he doesn’t want to give it to me… who am I to demand it?”_

Yuta knows then; it’s not the wrong decision. He steps forward, Taeyong’s back still to him as he cries into Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“…Taeyong.”

Taeyong stiffens and Jaehyun, sensing the air, lightly pats his friend’s back encouragingly before making him stand straight, and wisely excusing himself. Taeyong still hasn’t turned around, and Yuta slowly approaches him.

“Taeyong… is that really how you felt?”

Taeyong doesn’t say anything, roughly wiping his eyes with his hand.

“Uhhh… how much of that did you hear?”

Yuta rolls his eyes. “Are you actually trying to pretend like you weren’t just sobbing your eyes out?”

“…I wasn’t sobbing,” Taeyong says defensively and Yuta just smiles as he slowly comes behind Taeyong and wraps his arms around his stomach.

“…Taeyong-ah,” Yuta whispers. “I missed you.”

And Taeyong can’t pretend anymore, as he whirls around and wraps his arms around Yuta.

“I never cheated on you. I would never. I’ve never even thought about it,” Taeyong swears, clutching his partner’s body closer to himself. “I just… I know, I’ve been horrible to you these past few months. God, Yuta, I… I’m sorry and I… I don’t deserve you, I-”

“Taeyong.”

Yuta’s soft voice is enough to cut him off, and Taeyong realizes he’s been babbling. He slowly feels himself overcome with grief and has to take a deep breath to keep talking.

“I love you. I love you, Yuta, I really love you.”

Yuta’s cheeks heat up, but he can’t stop the smile from spreading on his face. “…I love you too, Taeyong.”

“I’m sorry I neglected you.”

“…you did,” Yuta agrees, not bothering to hide his hurt. “You made me feel less important than Minki-shi.”

“Fuck,” the swear slides out of Taeyong’s mouth as he grips Yuta closer. “When I think… I think of how terrified I was when I realized you had left and I… I don’t think I can ever go through that again, Yuta. I never want you to feel that way again, _ever_.”

“Don’t let me go,” Yuta whispers and even though they’re in an alleyway that’s dark and small and smells questionable, Taeyong doesn’t. After a little bit, though, Taeyong begins to speak once more.

“…Jaemin’s stopped talking again.”

He feels Yuta still in his arms. “What?”

“He… He’s reverted back to the old Jaemin. The one who was left alone.”

“I thought-”

“Minki was _never_ a parent to him, Yuta,” Taeyong knows what he’s about to say. “It was always you. A parent that he genuinely loves and cares about left.”

“…Yuta?”

Yuta’s head turns, and immediately his face turns bright red when he realizes what kind of position he's been caught in. “Nee-chan!”

“I thought it was you…” his sister ignores the fact that they’re in a cramped alleyway, and before Taeyong can even attempt a stammered introduction, she bows to him elegantly.

“Hello,” she says in accented, but surprisingly smooth Korean. “I am Yuta’s older sister, Momoka. Please take care of Yuta for me.”

Yuta’s jaw drops. “Nee-chan… you know Korean?”

“I started studying it after you said you were going to Korea,” Momoka smiles lightly at her brother. “I thought you would need it in case you needed your big sister to come save you. But… I see you’ve already found a protector.”

“I am!” Taeyong bursts out, before his cheeks turn red and he bows, trying to save face. “I mean… I will. I will… take care of Yuta.”

And Yuta can’t resist from hugging his older sister, tears of happiness welling in his eyes. But it’s what Taeyong says next that really stuns him.

“Please be sure you come to our wedding.”

* * *

Yuta doesn’t bring it up until they’re back in Korea, but the minute they’re back on Korean soil, Yuta finally speaks up.

“Are we going to talk about that?”

“Talk about what?” Taeyong huffs as he drags his heavy backpack out of the compartment. Yuta huffs right back.

“Talk about how we’re apparently getting married and I don’t know about this?”

Taeyong promptly drops the backpack, cheeks flushed.

“Uh, uh, uh what are you talking about?”

“Uh, uh,” Yuta mimics before putting his hands on his hips and stopping Taeyong in the middle of Gimpo International Airport. “There’s a plane right there and I can get back on it if you don’t ask first.”

“But I had something romantic planned at home,” Taeyong whines and the look Yuta gives him shuts him up right then and he sighs before getting down on one knee.

“Nakamoto Yuta…” Taeyong pauses before reaching up to hold Yuta’s hand. “I love you.”

Nobody bothers to stop for them. If anything, people look annoyed that the couple have chosen to complete their proposal in the busy section of the airport.

_“What is that, a proposal?”_

_“Come on, let’s go, we have to catch the flight to Shanghai! It’s at Gate 37!”_

_“Whoa, I almost tripped over that guy!”_

“I don’t know them,” Jaehyun informs people casually as he sails by. Taeyong, however, doesn’t care if the earth is ready to split open or there’s a suddenly hailstorm of fire.

He needs to ask this.

“Would you marry me… officially?” he adds at the end. “Since we were always kind of married anyways. You know. And with a kid. And now we have another kid on the way. Oh god, we’re about to have another kid, Yuta, what are we going to name it? Oh I can’t him ‘it’. But what if it’s a her? And-”

“Taeyong.”

“Hm?”

“Shut up,” Yuta whispers, smiling. “Yes.”

* * *

_Three years later…_

“Nana-ppa!”

Nine-year-old Jaemin grins as he comes home and lightly pats his younger sister’s head. “I’m home, Hina-chan.”

“Nana-ppa!” Hina responds cutely, unable to fully pronounce ‘oppa’ in her childish speech, as she reaches up with grabby hands. Jaemin understands and hoists the tiny girl up, the older brother having grown quite a few inches in the past few years.

“Where’s Appa and Papa?” he asks curiously and Hina just tilts her head and smiles.

“Appa!”

“Okay,” Jaemin grins, nuzzling his sister’s nose and listening to her squeal in delight. “Come on, let’s go find them.”

He takes Hina’s hand and the two of them go upstairs, where they can soon hear their parents talking in the laundry closet, the washing machine whirring behind them.

“Come onnnn,” Taeyong whines, nuzzling against his husband’s shoulder. Yuta bites down a smile, but pretends to be angry, as he smacks his husband’s wandering hand.

“I said no.”

“We haven’t done it in _so_ long,” Taeyong’s voice lowers seductively. “And you know… Doyoung’s book just hit the bestseller list, so I keep seeing scenes everywhere and imagining you in them. Imagine you, on your back as the washing machine-”

“Hi Appa! Hi Papa!”

Taeyong chokes as he scrambles off a brightly red Yuta. “Jaemin-ah!”

The innocent nine-year-old boy tilts his head as he holds his sister’s hand. “What are you two both doing in the laundry room?”

“Wh- What are you doing home?” Taeyong quickly responds as Yuta scoops up their daughter, who happily claps her hands before lightly smacking her Papa’s cheeks.

“We had half-day at school today, remember?” Jaemin grins. “It’s the end of the school year!”

“Ah, right!” Taeyong checks his watch. “We’d better get going, the restaurant will close up soon and then we can go to celebrate.”

“Okay!” Jaemin chirps as he practically skips over to the door. “Can we invite Jeno?!”

“I already have,” Taeyong chuckles. “You really thought I was going to have a celebratory dinner without inviting your best friend?”

The two of them walk out the front door and enter Taeyong’s car, before Taeyong pokes his head out the car window.

“Yuta!” he calls. “Come on, where are you?”

“Sorry, sorry!” the Japanese man dashes out, Hina snugly in his arms. “I just figured I would grab Hina’s hat.”

“Aww, don’t you look cute, Hina-chan?” Jaemin coos over his baby sister as she’s strapped to her car seat, and she giggles, lightly smacking her brother’s nose.

“And with her hat, Hina’s going to be the prettiest baby in the restaurant,” Yuta lightly tickles her foot and she giggles once more. Taeyong promptly stiffens as he starts up the car.

“Hina’s the prettiest baby everywhere,” he says. “Jaemin, keep an eye on your sister, you never know what kind of strange boys are around.”

“Taeyong, oh my god, not this again,” Yuta rolls his eyes. “You did this at Hina’s one-year-old celebration too, when Taeil-hyung brought his son.”

“He was looking at my baby and drooling!”

“He was two! He looked at everything and drooled!” Yuta throws his hands up in the air. “They’re literally babies, Taeyong, they’re not getting _married_!”

“Married?! Why?! What did Taeil say?!” Taeyong snaps, glaring at his rearview mirror. “You can kindly tell him that Hina has no plans for marriage, and-"

“Oh my god,” Yuta buries his face in his arms and Jaemin can only giggle at his silly parents as they continue to bicker.

Even though his parents argue and they all have their differences, Jaemin is happiest like this, when he’s with his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm tired and that's all I managed to crank out.
> 
> See you guys at the next fic!
> 
> Message me with any ideas on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/tapeu_127)!


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